Rugby legend calls for winter shutdown

Published 11 Jan 2010 18:03 0 Comments

ONE of rugby's top ambassadors has called for a winter shutdown to beat the current cold spell.

Broadcaster and West of Scotland coach, John Beattie, wants an end to the current chaos and what he describes as 'crazy' playing issues.

And while his radical plans make sense, they will not perhaps go down well with Borders clubs.

Beattie wants the season extended into April and May with a two-month break

after Christmas, but this will eat into the lucrative Borders sevens programme.

Peebles Director Bob Hogarth, whose own April Sevens provide the club with a financial base, fears that they will lose their attraction if clubs start to send second fifteens.

"It is a major problem. We are lucky that we have access to the Gytes for training this week, but we sometimes go to a riding centre near West Linton, but, of course, we cannot get there. There are some free Saturdays in March, but that is a bit off and this is a major problem."

And Biggar spokesman Al Stewart, whose club faces the same dilemma, said: "I cannot remember a winter spell as long as this on a regular basis. The Hyndshawland indoor centre at Elsrickle is a big help (for training), but it is not quite the same. I have no idea when we will get a game."

Beattie has also blasted the lack of training facilities - but at the end of the day, the clubs vote in a league programme each SRU agm and so they must accept part of the blame. League matches are planned throughout January with Peebles due to be at home to Jed-Forest and Biggar away to Haddington this weekend.

And the build-up of fixtures will aggravate and infuriate amateur clubs, which could be playing at least twice a week in March and April to clear the backlog. The delayed Border League has also been thrown into the confusion with matches now expected to be played over the sevens weekends.

The stand-by dates are February 13 and 27 as well as March 20 alongside four sevens Saturdays, including April 10 (Melrose Sevens) and 17 and May 1 and 8. The Borders sevens still remain non-sacrosanct to the SRU.

The Border League games at Haddington (v. Melrose) and Kelso v. Hawick fell victim of the cold snap. Secretary John Thorburn said: "We will be encouraging clubs to play midweek."

But he knows that time is running out fast.

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